Why I love Sanskrit

Beautiful verse shared by Suhas on twitter

Vedantic truths explained through some great imagery, examples in the Mundaka Upanishad.

ॐ श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः

Vedantic truths explained through some great imagery, examples in the Mundaka Upanishad.

There are some really popular, oft quoted examples given in the Mundaka Upanishad to teach Vedanta and the Sadhanas. I share these here. These are not in the order as they come in the various sections of the Upanishad. 

1. The popular bow and arrow example

धनुर् गृहीत्वौपनिषदं महास्त्रं

शरं ह्युपासा निशितं सन्धयीत ।

आयम्य तद्भावगतेन चेतसा

लक्ष्यं तदेवाक्षरं सोम्य विद्धि ॥ 2.2.3

O Pleasing one! Having taken the great weapon – the Upanishadic bow, one should fix the arrow (jivatma) which is sharpened by upasana (fixing the arrow is compared to one connecting to the shastric teaching). Having drawn it back with a mind absorbed in the thought of That (Brahman), may you penetrate (know) that imperishable Brahman, which is the target.

प्रणवो धनुः शारो ह्यात्मा ब्रह्म तल्लक्ष्यमुच्यते ।

अप्रमत्तेन वेद्धव्यं शरवत् तन्मयो भवेत् ॥ 2.2.4॥

Omkaara is the bow, Atma (jivatma) is indeed the arrow. Brahman is said to be the target. It should be penetrated (known) by the alert one. One should become one with That Brahman like the arrow (with its target).

In these two beautiful verses, the entire spiritual journey is presented. The student sharpened ( having refined himself / herself ) through karma yoga and upasana yoga should connect with the Shastra and Guru. These are called here धनुर् गृहीत्वौपनिषदं and प्रणवो धनुः  . Omkaara represents the shastric teaching.

With a mind withdrawn – i.e with a mind withdrawn from the entire world of sense objects, relationships etc. – compared to the bow drawn back, the arrow – jivaatma is released and “hits” paramatma – I.e claims oneness with paramatma.

2. The spider and other examples to show that ईश्वर, ब्रह्म is जगत्कारणम्

यथोर्णनाभिः सृजते गृह्णते च यथा पृथिव्यामोषधयः सम्भवन्ति ।
यथा सतः पुरुषात् केशलोमानि तथाऽक्षरात् सम्भवतीह विश्वम् ॥ 1.1.7

Just as a spider creates and withdraws (its web), just as trees are born on (out of) the earth, just as hair on the head and body grow from a living person, in the same manner, the universe is born out of Brahman.

The spider example is an oft quoted example in Vedanta to show that Brahman is both the material cause and the intelligent cause of the creation. Usually, the intelligent cause is different from the material of the produced object. Example, the potter is different from the clay and the pot. The Lord does not need any different material to create and the universe. He is the essence, the material and the intelligent cause. The whole Universe arises from, rests in the resolves into Him.

3. The fire and sparks example to show that all beings have come out of Brahman

यथा सुदीप्तात् पावकाद्विस्फुलिङ्गाः
सहस्रशः प्रभवन्ते सरूपाः ।
तथाऽक्षराद्विविधाः सोम्य भावाः
प्रजायन्ते तत्र चैवापि यन्ति ॥ 2.1.1

This is the Truth, O pleasing One!. Just as from a blazing fire thousands of sparks originate with the same nature, so also, various beings are born of Brahman and merge into it.

This mantra also teaches ब्रह्म जगत्कारनम् . What we see as world is nothing but Brahman. World is mere name and form. The substance, essence, सार​: is Brahman only, like the substance is gold and ornaments are but name and form. There is no substance called bangle – substantiality belongs to gold. The sections explaining the above, giving the above examples culminate in the knowledge - ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्या
 

4. The most popular imagery of two birds on tree in two mantras

द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिषस्वजाते ।
तयोरन्यः  पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्त्यनश्नन्नन्यो अभिचाकशीति ॥ 3.1.1

Two birds (Jivatma and Sakshi or Paramatma) with beautiful wings which are close friends, cling to the same tree (i.e. are available in the same physical body). Of them, one eats the fruits with great relish. (i.e. is Karta, bhokta and enjoyer of the fruits). The other, looks on without eating i.e. remains as Sakshi

समाने वृक्षे पुरुषो निमग्नोऽनिशया शोचति मुह्यमानः ।
जुष्टं यदा पश्यत्यन्यमीशमस्य महिमानमिति वीतशोकः ॥ 3.1.2

Being deluded (and) completely immersed in the very same body, a person grieves helplessly. (Due to ignorance, when one has disclaimed his original nature, and had claimed “jivatvam”, he has taken on the attributes of body and becomes a doer, enjoyer and sufferer)
When one sees the other, the adored Lord (and) His glory as (one's own), (one becomes) free from grief.
 

One who can understand and assimilate these two verses and knows his/her own real nature, is free!! Every individual is now a mixture of pure consciousness (Atma) and the body-mind complex (Anatma). Identified with the body – mind complex, one can never be happy, full, freebecause the body is impermanent, ever-changing, limited and under the control of the laws of karma. But the Consciousness, the Sakshi, pure witness is ever असङ्ग, the pure witness and later described by the Upanishad as जोतिषां ज्योतिः Own up the Paratmatma, Sakshi and claim your Higher Nature.

The entire second chapter, second section explains this to us.

5. Finally, विदेहमुक्ति of a ज्ञानी explained in a beautiful verse with the help of rivers merging into the sea example

यथा नद्यः स्यन्दमानाः समुद्रेऽस्तं गच्छन्ति नामरूपे विहाय ।
तथा विद्वान् नामरूपाद्विमुक्तः परात्परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम् ॥ 3.2.8

Just as rivers, flowing down, resolve into the ocean giving up name and form (and individuality), so also in the same way, the wise is freed from name and form and attains the effulgent Brahman which is beyond maya.

ॐ तत् सत्